Chain machine



Dec. 29, 1936. w. F. BIEDERMANN CHAIN MACHINE Filed Nov. 9, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 v INVENTOR. WZYZZOIIZ i) fza e/mazzxz BY I A TTORNEYS.

Dec. 29, 1936. w. F. BIEDERMANN 2,065,788

CHAIN MACHINE Filed Nov. 9, 1936 e Sheets-Sheet 2 v A TTORNEYS.

Dec. 29, 1936. w. F. BIEDERMANN CHAIN MACHINE Filed NOV. 9, 1936 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 v I N V EN TOR. Puff/35am i (5 90 19 xawaxr/z A TTORNEYS.

W. F. BIEDERMANN CHAIN MACHINE Filed Nov. 9, 1936 Dec. 29, 1936.

6 Sheets-Sheet 4 e'sneets-snee't 5 Y INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

. Dec. 29, 1936. w. F. BIEDERMANN CHAIN MACHINE Filed NOV. 9, 1956 Dec. 29, 1936. w. F. BIEDERMANN 5 3 CHAIN MACHINE Filed Nov. 9, 1936 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Dec. 29, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHAIN MACHINE tion of Rhode Island Application November 9, 1936, Serial No. 109,909

10 Claims.

This invention relates to a chain machine, and has for one of its objects the provision of mechanical means for forming from wire a curbed chain in which each link passes through two or more other links.

Another object of the invention is an arrangement for positively opening up of spaces through previously formed links so as to receive the wire of the link being formed and afford a rapid operation of the machine.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a double, triple or the like curbed chain from a wire having various sectional shapes.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a double curbed chain which is unsoldered and yet each of the ends of the links abut and are in alignment.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the mechanism for feeding the wire;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view through the ratchet collar of the feeding mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a sectional View of a portion of the ratchet collar on line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 6-6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. '7 is a sectional view on line 1-1 of Fig. 3, showing the presser foot;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view showing one pair of gripping jaws and mounting mechanism therefor;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view through the parts shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view on line l0l0 of 40 Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged somewhat diagrammatic view showing the feed of the wire from which the links are formed and the relative position of the jaws at one instant of the operation of the. machine;

Fig. 12 is a similar view showing the parts in a different position at another instant of operation of the machine;

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Figs. 11 and 12 showing a more advanced relative position of the parts in the operation of the machine;

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 11 showing additional links of the chain as formed and connected to the part gripped by the jaws;

(Cl. 59l6) Fig. 15 is a perspective view of one of the links of the chain;

Fig. 16 is a top plan view showing several links of the chain connected together;

Fig. 1'7 is a perspective View of a modified form of link opening probe;

Fig. 18 is a view similar to Fig. 1'7 showing the parts in a different position and engaging a link;

Fig. 19 is a section on line I9l9 of Fig. 17;

Fig. 20 is a perspective view showing the operation of the presser foo-t;

Fig. 21 is an enlarged somewhat diagrammatic view similar to Fig. 13 but showing a modification of the product formed;

Fig. 22 is a top plan view showing several links 15 of a modified form of chain with respect to Fig. 16.

Heretofore, although it has been known to provide curbed links, or even double curbed link chains, where each link was formed in a separate header, it has never been known to automatically provide a knife-edged chain in curbed form where the wire forming each link was passed through two or more of the links prior to the completion of the link being formed and prior to the severing of the wire from the elongated piece from which it is fed; and in order that this may be done efiectively I feed the Wire in the form of a corkscrew or a somewhat distorted helix by rotating the same, and I pass the end of the wire so shaped through two or more previous links by providing guides to force or push the formed links to a desired position to receive the wire thus fed. I then sever the wire, complete the link and curb the same by a twisting operation through substantially 90. All this being done automatically without the necessity of hand manipulation of the wire stock or any of the machine parts; and the following is a more detailed description of the present embodiment of this invention illustrating the preferred means by which these advantageous results may be accomplished:

With reference to the drawings, 20 designates the bed of the machine upon which the various parts are mounted. A drive shaft 2| is mounted in bearings 22, 23 and 24 and has a bevel gear 25 thereon meshing with bevel gear 26 on the driven cam shaft 2'! mounted in bearings 28 and 29 on the bed of the machine. A crank wheel 30 is provided with a crank 3| thereon which is connected to a rack bar 32 slidably mounted in hanger 33 rockably supported by the sleeve 34 which sleeve is rotatably mounted in a bearing block 35 secured to the bed of the machine. This sleeve 34 has a pinion 36 for meshing with the rack 31 on the rack bar 32 to derive motion therefrom. At one end of the sleeve 34 a ratchet collar 38 is secured by set screw 40. Recesses 39 in the face of the collar are deep at one end and extend out substantially flush with the surface of the collar at the other end.

A mandrel 4| extends through the sleeve 34 and has a collar 42 secured by set screw 43 thereon to engage the hanger 33 which is mounted upon the sleeve 34 and prevent movement in one direction. This mandrel 4| is freely rotatable within the sleeve 34. A collar 44 is fixed on this mandrel by set screw 41 provided with spring pressed plungers 45 mounted in recesses 46 in the collar 44. As the ratchet collar 38 is turned in one direction by reason of being turned by the pinion 36,the collar 44 is engaged through these plungers 45 contacting the abutting end of the inclined recess, and is turned in one direction,

whereas a movement of the sleeve 34 and collar 38 in the other direction will permit the plungers 45to slide up upon the inclined recess 39 and will not transmit motion. This collar 44 is also prevented from rotating in one direction by reason of the leaf spring 48 engaging a notch 49 in the collar 44. Thus, the mandrel is intermittently turned in one direction only, through the mechanism just described. 7

Fixed in the block 35 there is a cylindrical member 50 into which the mandrel extends. This member is grooved in somewhat the manner of a helical path as at 5| with an opening 52 therethrough through which the wire 53 from which the links are'to be formed is to be fed. This wire, although it may be of any shape, is here shown as generally triangular in shape or knifeedged with the knife edge outwardly. The mandrel at the end within this helically grooved portion is reduced to provide a blade-like formation 54 which is twisted slightly, as may best be seen in Fig. 2, and is provided with a notch 55 at its end. This blade-like form gives to the links an elongated shape rather than perfectly round, and of course, the shape of the mandrel may be varied for the provision of different shaped links. The shape, however, being out of round causes the wire to be fed forwardly when the mandrel turns in the helically slotted cylinder. An L- shaped arm 56 is secured to the cylindrical member 50 and is provided with a notch 51 in its end to receive the wire as it is fed and guide it between the walls of this notch and the end of the tube-50. This member 56 at its L-shaped end forms one portion of the cutter for severing the wire, as will presently appear. 7

Two pair of jaws operating one above the other and in a plane substantially parallel with the bed of the machine are designated 60 and 6| for the lower jaws and 62 and 63 for the upper set of jaws. The jaws 60 and 62 are pivoted on the bolt 65 while jaws 6| and 63 are pivoted on the bolt 66. Springs 61, one for each jaw, tend to move the working ends of the jaws apart, while wedges operate to move the jaws about their pivot into gripping relation. The lower set of jaws 60 and 6| are operated by a slide block 10,

shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, having a wedgeshaped piece 1| fitted into the forward end thereof for engagement with the flaring ends of the jaws 60 and 6|. This slide is operated by a cam 12 working through roll 13 and adjustable set screw 14 mounted on the raised block 15. The upper set of jaws 62 and 83 are operated by the cam 11 through roll 18, adjustable set screw 19, slide and wedge-shaped end 8| to engage the slightly flaring ends 82 of the jaws 62 and 63.

means of set screws aoeavss This slide 8 is cut out to receive the raised block 15 projecting upwardly from the slide below. The forward end 83 of the jaw 62 slides across the notched L-shaped end of the member 56 and shears off the wire and carries this end of the wire forward as the other jaw operates to grip the link in a plane passing through the center of the jaws 62, 63 and the companion jaws, to be presently described.

Jaws 85 and 86 grip the other end of the link and are mounted on a pivot 81 and within cylindrical member 88 having an enlarged head 89 with a slot as at 90 for the reception and guiding of these jaws in their pivotal mounting. This member 88 is cut to form a gear 9| and is also bored as at 92 for the reception of operating plunger 93 having a chisel-shaped end 94 for spreading the inner ends of the jaws 85 and 86 to close them onto the link at the desired time.

This member 88 is rotatably mounted in a sliding head 96 which has dove-tailed engagement as at 91 with a vertically reciprocating carriage 98 which is vertically slidably mounted in the frame portion 99 secured to the bed of the machine. A

rack I00 is slidably mounted in the head 96 and has its teeth engaging the teeth 9| of the member 88. A plate IOI on the end of rack I00 is engaged by a roller I02 on a lever I03 which projects through the bed and is secured to the rod I04 mounted in bearings I05 beneath the bed of the machine. At the other end of this rod there is another lever I06 extending up through slot I01 in the bed of the machine, which is provided with a roller I08 for engagement with the cam I09 on the cam shaft 21, which cam will swing the lever and rotate rod I04 to move the rack I00 inwardly and rotate the member 88. A collar H0 is fixed on the member I08 by means of the set screw III, which set screw is provided with a pin II2 engaged by a spring 3 anchored to the bed of the machine as at 4 tending to return the member 88 and thus project the rack I00 in the opposite direction.

In order that the carriage 98 may be moved vertically or up and down with relation to the bed 20, I provide a lever I|5 which is connected by M1 and H8 extending through the bifurcated portion I20 of the lever and held in position by the check nuts |2| to a projection II6 on the lower portion of the carriage 98. This lever is pivoted beneath the bed of the machine intermediate its ends and is connected to a slide I25 positioned through the bed of the machine and suitably guided for vertical movement. On one side of this slide there is a roller I26 for engaging cam I21 to operate the slide in one direction, while on the other side of the slide I25 there is a roller shown dotted as at I28, and is similar to the roll I 21, for engagement with the cam I29 to operate the slide in the other direction. Thus, as this slide moves up and down the lever is moved about its pivot to move the carriage 98 vertically through substantially onehalf an inch to vary the position of the jaws 85 and 86 in the operation of the machine.

The sliding head 96 is forced in one direction by means of springs I30 guided on rods I3I and acting between the abutment I32 and carried by the carriage 98 and the abutment I33 on the head 96.

Collar I35 threadingly engages the reduced portion I36 on the end of the member 88 and is engaged by the roll I31 on lever I38 which is pivoted as at I39 for moving the head 96 forwardly. This lever I38 is operated from cam shaft by cam I40 75 through the rod I42 having a roll I43 which is drawn into engagement with the cam by spring I44 and having a threadingly adjustable portion I45 held in position by the check nut I46 for engaging the lever I38 and moving it about the pivot I39, whereby the jaws are positioned the proper amount forwardly for gripping the link. In order to close the jaws 85, 86 a lever I50 pivoted as at II and provided with a roll I52 engaging the enlarged end I53 of the plunger 93 is moved by means of cam I54 on the cam shaft through rod I55 having a roll I56 held in engagement with the cam by spring I51, there being an adjustable end portion I58 to contact the lever I50, the adjustment being maintained by the check nut I59. As the plunger 93 is moved inwardly the jaws 85, 86 move to gripping position and the springs I30 are somewhat compressed. After the jaws are moved to gripping position and rotation of the jaws occurs, there is a shortening of the link due to its twisting, and as this occurs, the lever I50 is given a further movement by means of the cam IGI acting through the rod I62 having cam roll I63 which is held in engagement with the cam through spring I64. This rod I62 has mounted thereon a block I65 carrying a threaded pin I66 to engage the block I61 fixed on the rod I55 by set screw I58 to pick up the rod I 55 and carry it forward in an amount sufiicient to take up the fore-shortening of the link by reason of its twist and at the same time maintain the jaws in firm gripping relation on the link. This threaded member I66 may be maintained in adjusted position in the block I65 and held there by the check nut I69, thereby enabling fine adjustments to be had.

This machine is designed primarily for making curb chain, and in order that each link may pass through two previously formed links and make what is known as a double curbed chain, I have provided a probe I15 which is mounted at the end of a lever I16 pivoted as at I11 and having an L- shaped arm I18 engaging a cam I19 which is mounted upon the mandrel 4|. This probe I15 operates through a guide bracket I80 which is suitably mounted upon some fixed part of the machine. There is also a holding member I8I which is mounted upon lever arm I82 pivoted as at I11 and having an L-shaped arm I83 engaging the cam I84 turning with the mandrel M. This holding member will move down into engagement with the previously formed links to move them out of the way of the jaws just prior to these jaws gripping the link, and the probe descends to force the links into a position so that the opening through the links will be in proper registry for the passing through two previous links of the wire for the formation of the next link. This holding member is I..-shaped with a foot portion I85 and secured to its lever I82 by the screw I86 at an angle to permit some resiliency or spring of the stock.

In some cases it is desirable to provide a lateral movement of the probe as well as a downward vertical movement thereof; and in order to accomplish this result I provide a guide 200 with a sliding member 20I located therein having a spring 202 attached to this member and tending to move the same upwardly after being forced down by the lever I16, this spring being attached as at 203 to some convenient stationary part of the machine and merely passed through an opening 204 in the slide member 20 I. The probe, designated 205, is of an Lshaped formation and is pivoted as at 206 to the slide 20I with a spring 201 encircling the pivot 206 and extending through an opening 203 in the arm 209 of this probe. A pin 2I0 is located on the guide and as the slide member 20I descends with the probe 205 this laterally extending arin 2.00 strikes the pin 2I0 and further movement downwardly by the slide 20I causes a lateral movement of the probe 205, as indicated in Fig. 18, so as to move the previously formed link I9I to one end of the gripped link I90 for the insertion of the wire I92, as shown in Fig. 18.

This machine may be very readily adapted to make links other than those specified heretofore. For instance, the cylindrical member 50 may be interchanged with a cylindrical member which will form a link of a different size or shape and where I desire that a link pass through more than two previously formed links this cylindrical member will be made larger such as I have illustrated in Fig. 2I, the cylindrical member now being designated 2I5, and in this showing in order that the wire 2 I6 may pass through three links as 2I1, 2I8 and 2I9, I provide for the jaws 85 and 86 to hold the link 2I1 slightly further to the left than that of the previous description, see for instance Fig. 13, and I also adjust the probe I15 slightly to the position illustrated in Fig. 21 so that it will cause the three links to be crowded over to allow room for the wire 2I6 to be inserted. It thus will be apparent that various different chains may be formed from the machine and the wire may be of various different shapes to acquire the desired design. As indicated, the wire may be passed through more than three links and soon, as desired, but the longer the links are made to accommodate such passing through of several links the less flexible the chain will be, and accordingly, the flexibility desired will limit the plural structure of the chain in this manner.

In Fig. 21 I have also illustrated an L-shaped guide 220 which serves to cause the length of chain as it is formed to be dropped over this guide and maintain a desired relation with reference to the formed chain, this guide having been absent from the other showings but is of a known conventional form.

Operation The operation upon the wire of the machine can perhaps best be followed from Figs. 11 to 14 inclusive. The wire 53 is fed through the holder 2 into the grooved cylindrical member 50 and advanced by intermittent rotation of the mandrel. The mandrel is turned one complete revolution feeding the wire forward something after the form of a corkscrew, as may be seen from Fig. 11, which illustrates the link I90 just being formed and moved by the top jaws 52 and 63 and also gripped by the jaws 85 and 86. When the link is in this position the jaws 62 and 63 which have moved the ends of the link into alignment disengage the link, moving to the position shown in Fig. 12, and at the same time the carriage 98 is lowered so that the link is inv a position tobe gripped by the jaws 60 and BI which next occurs, as shown in Fig. 12. When the jaws 60 and 6| engage the link the jaws 85 and 86 are given a rotation through 90 by reason of the movement of the rack I00 operated through its cam and at the same time the jaws 86 are moved inwardly so as to take up the shortening of the length of the link due to the twisting as above explained. After this action has occurred, the jaws 60 and BI open to release the link I90 and the jaws 85, 86 are given a portion of a turn substantially 45, shown in Fig. 13, where, due to the suitable dwell of the cam operatingthese jaws, they are held and while in this position the worm starts to feed the wire and immediately the probe H or 205 descends at a rapid rate overtaking the end of the wire and moving the previously formed link l9! out of the way to provide a space for the reception of the wire for the next link through these two previously formed links, as shown in Fig. 13; in the meantime, the mandrel 4| is rotated to feed the wire I92 through the formed opening and this wire also pushes the previous link a little to one side and to the position illustrated in Fig. 14, the probe is then withdrawn, after which the jaws 85 and 86 release the link I 90 permitting it to drop to the position such as illustrated in Fig. 14, previous to the severance of the wire, and then these jaws are drawn away from the link by movement of the head 91 and are rotated through another 45. During this movement of the jaws B5, 86 the presser [8| descends to move these previously formed links to the bottom of the arc of the wire I92 and out of the way of the jaws 35, 86 when they next advance by a movement of the head 91 so as to grip the wire at I93 just prior to its severance, and after so gripped the jaw 62 operates, which, in cooperation with the portion 51 of the member 56, severs the wire and continuing movement of the jaws 62 and 63 force the ends of the link into aligned relation, and the link is thus then arranged as shown in Fig. 11, except that as shown in Fig. 14 thereare additional links formed after the abovedescribed cycle of operations, whereupon the machine repeats this cycle forming a chain auto- ;matically of indefinite length, In this manner,

a double, triple or the like curbed chain is formed automatically without the use of solder, an essen-- tial portion of the machine for rapid operation being the guides and holding device which positively position the previous formed links such that the wire may feed therethrough in' the desired manner.

The foregoing description is directed solely towards the construction illustrated, but I desire it to be understood that I reserve theprivilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes to which the device is susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a chain machine, mechanism for forming curbed chain links including means for holding the last formed link for the insertion of wire therethrough, probing means having a portion insertable in the previously formed link and operating to positively position said previously formed link for the reception of said wire for the next link therethrough, whereby two previously formed links are embraced by each link as formed, and means to effect a longitudinal and also a lateral movement of said probing means for positioning the previously formed link.

2. In a chain machine, mechanism'for forming curbed chain links including means for holding the last formed link for the insertion of wire therethrough, probing means operating to positively position the previously formed link for the reception of said wire for the next link therethrough, whereby two previously formed links are embraced by each link as formed, and a presser foot engaging the previously formed link and positively moving it to a desired position.

3. In a chain machine, means for shaping wire in generally the shape of a helix and feeding the same forward in a corkscrew manner, means for forming links therefrom, means forcurbingeach link as formed, means for moving the last formed link for the reception of the helical wire as fed forward, and a probe to pass through said last formed link and the next previously formed link to provide for the reception of the helical wire as fed forward.

4. In a chain machine, means for shaping wire in generally the shape of a helix and feeding the same forward in a corkscrew manner, means for forming links therefrom, means for moving the last formed link for the reception of the wire as fed forward, means for positioning the next presevering a convolution of the wire and bringing.

its ends together to form a link, means for gripping and twisting the link, means for moving the last said gripping means to position its link to' receive the wire as fed forward, and means for positioning the next previously formed link to receive said wire as fed forward.

6. In a chain machine, means for shaping wire in generally the shape of a helix and feeding the same forward in a corkscrew manner, means for severing a convolution of the wire and bringing its ends together to form a link, means for gripping and twisting the link, means for moving the last said gripping means to position its link to receive the wire as fed forward, means for positioning the next previously formed link to receive said wire as fed forward, and moving the other links out of the way.

'7. In a chain machine, means for shaping a link, means for gripping and twisting the link,

means for moving the last said gripping means to position the link to receive the wire as fed forward, and a probe to pass through the gripped link and the next previous link and provide an opening for the reception of said wire.

8. In a chain machine, means for shaping wire in generally the shape of a helix and feeding the same forward in a corkscrew manner, means for severing'a convolution of the wire and bringing its ends together to form a link, means for gripping and twisting the link, means for moving the last said gripping. means to position the link to receive the wire as fed forward, and a probe to pass through the gripped link and the next previous link to provide an opening for said wire and move the other links to one side.

9. In a. chain machine, means for shaping wire in generally the shape of a helix and feeding the same forward in a corkscrew manner, means for severing a convolution of the wire and bringing its ends together to form a link, means for gripping and, twisting the link, means for moving the last said gripping means to position the link held thereby to receive the wire as fed forward, a probe to pass through the gripped link and the next previous link and provide an opening for the reception of said wire, and a presser foot for moving the previously formed links toa predetermined position just prior to the first grip of the jaws on said wire.

10. In a chain machine, means for forming curbing and holding a link, means for shaping wire in generally the shape of a helix and feeding the same forward in a corkscrew manner through the two links previously formed, means causing said holding means to drop the last formed link through which the wire is threaded prior to severing and obtain a new grip on the wire just fed, and a power actuated presser foot to assist the dropped links in moving to desired 5 position.

WILLIAM F. BIEDERMANN. 

